Envelop.



PATENTED MAR. 31, 1908.

M. L. WALTER. ElwELVoP.4 APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1906.

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MARTIN L. WALTER, OF KRAMER, NORTH DAKOTA.

ENVELOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 31, 1908.

Application filed July 31, 1906. Serial No. 328,585.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN L. WALTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kramer, in the county of Bottineau and State of NorthDakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelops,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to envelops, and has for its object to preventthe opening thereof without indicating that the envelop has beentampered with.

vIn carrying out the invention, it is proposed to maintain lthe form ofenvelop now in general use and to apply the improvement thereto withoutsacrificing the strength, durability and utility of the ordinaryenvelop.

With these and other objects in View, the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes inthe form, proportion, size and minor details may be made lwithin thescope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a plan view of the rear of an envelop Fig.2 is a plan view of the frangible sealing material separate from theenvelop; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the rear of an envelop having thefrangible sealing material secured thereto, the side flaps beingunsealed;v Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through myimprovedenvelop on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 with one of the side flaps sealed;Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; andFig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing one side flap sealedto back of yenvelop through one of the perforations of the frangiblematerial.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of theseveral figures of the drawings.

The blank of the present envelop includes a body 1, which constitutesthe front of the envelop and may be of any shape and size. As is usual,the body is provided with end flaps 2 and 3,' the top closure 'liap 4and the bottom closure flap 5, the end flaps being folded over andsuitably connected where they overlap, preferably by an adhesive, as inthe ordinary manufacture of envelops.

In carrying out the present invention I employ a seal element 6, whichis in the nature of a thin sheet of paper, preferably tissue paper,which is shaped according to the size and shape of the overlapped endflaps of the envelop and is connected thereto at its opposite ends andthroughout intermediate ortions by means of an adhesive. Thelongitudinal edges of this seal are free from the back of the envelop,as shown in Fig. 5, which is made up of the end flaps, and these freeedges are provided with a series ofperforations 7.

In addition to the perforations, the seal is provided with lines ormarks formed by fugitive ink, the embodiment shown in the presentldrawing being in the nature of lines 8 eX- tending diagonally across theseal. Instead of lines I may emplo a border or other ornamental form,and also contemplate having advertising printed upon the seal infugitive ink adjacent the perforations. As these slight changes areobvious it has not been deemed necessary to illustrate the same.

The iaps 4 and 5 are of course provided. with dry adhesive, as shown at9 and 10, and the liaps 2 and S'are of course sealed when the envelop isbeing manufactured, the form of the envelop when being placed u on themarket being shown in Fig. 4 of the c rawing. Nhen an inclosure has beenplaced in the envelo the flap 4 is sealed in the usual manner ymoistening the dry adhesive and then folding the flap over upon the backof the envelop.

When the envelop is sealed, it will be noted that the top and bottomiiaps 4 and 5 respectively are connected to the back of the envelopthrough the perforations in the seal element 6, wherefore it isimpossible to open said closure flaps without tearing the seal sheet.Should 1t be attempted to open the envelop by steaming or moistening thesame, the fugitive ink will of course run thereby indicating that theenvelop has been tampered with.

From the foregoing description it will. be understood that the envelopof the present invention has all of the essential characteristics of theordinary envelop, and in addition thereto embodies an elective sealwhich must of necessity be destroyed in attempting to open the envelop,wherefore the envelop will clearly and distinctly indicate any attemptto open the same.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1` An envelophaving a frangible seal in the forni of a sheet of paper secured to theback ol' the envelop i and having portions free of the envelop, the freeportions having perforations through which the closure ilap is connectedto the envelop, the sealing Hap also adhering to said sheet, vthefrangihle seal having fugitive ink thereon.

2. An envelop having a seal in the nature of a frangible sheet securedto the outer face of the folded end flaps, the upper and lower edges ofthe sheet being free of the end flaps and provided with perforationsdisposed to 15`l the envelop is sealed, the closure laps alsol adheringto the sheet when the envelo is sealed, whereby the sheet and envelop wibe torn when either closure iiap is opened.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in thepresence of two vsubscribing witnesses.

MARTIN L. WALTER.

Witnesses:

G. C. E. GOETZE, W. G. BOWEN

